Click on image for larger annotated version
This extraordinary image captures the meeting place of the deep waters
of the Tongue of the Ocean and the much shallower, completely submerged
Grand Bahama Bank. This platform reef drops off quickly into the branch of
the Great Bahama submarine canyon that because of its shape is called the
Tongue of the Ocean. The vertical rock walls of the Canyon rise 14,060 feet
from their greatest depth to the surrounding seabed, which is why the water is
so dark in color compared to the reef. The shallowest parts of the reef are no
more than three to seven feet deep; so shallow, in fact, that in the northeast
corner of the image you can zoom in and see large wave-sized ripples of sand
on the bottom. Like so many other biological structures, the ribbon-like form of
the reef maximizes surface area and thus the number of organisms that can
colonize the structure. The closest land is the Bahama Islands of Great Exuma,
less than 16 miles to the east, and Andros about 27 miles to the west.
Photojournal note:
EarthKam was formerly known as KidSat. To see images of KidSat, see
http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/KidSat .
